There’s no power to any of the outlets in all your bathrooms at the same time. The fans still work, and the vanity lights work, but none of the outlets have power. What’s going on?
This can happen on occasion and can certainly be a concern, especially if everyone is getting ready for school or work at the same time.
Understanding your home’s electrical system and how the electrical code requires bathrooms to be wired can help. Luckily, there is usually a simple explanation and fix for this scenario that the professionals at HomePro Inspections would like to share with you.
The basic electrical requirements for bathrooms.
In short, the International Code Council requires protection in bathrooms to prevent electrical shock. Electrical outlets in bathrooms must be on their own 20-amp circuit and protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). If you're unfamiliar with a GFCI, it's a specially designed outlet that aids in preventing electrocution. You can learn more about how a GFCI works here.
The bathroom circuit only needs to have one GFCI outlet or breaker to protect all of the bathrooms. This simplifies things for the electrician but can be confusing to a homeowner. See the image below for a better understanding.
Finding and checking the GFCI.
A tripped GFCI typically causes a loss of power in a bathroom. Knowing which bathroom, the GFCI is located in is helpful in case you need to reset it.
Often, the electrician will install the GFCI in the master bathroom or the most commonly used bathroom. This isn’t always the case, however. Occasionally, the electrician installs it in a spot that is most convenient for them.
An orange or red light may glow on the GFCI outlet, indicating that the circuit has been tripped. The reset button will pop out. Simply press the button to reset the GFCI. You have successfully solved the problem and will be regarded as a hero by your family. Great Job!
If you can’t identify the problem, there are other factors to consider.
If a GFCI in one of the bathrooms hasn’t tripped but the power is still off, you have a bit of detective work to do. Check every bathroom, because, at times, a previous homeowner may have installed a GFCI at every outlet. While this may sound like a good idea, multiple GFCIs are unnecessary. Only the first outlet on the circuit requires a GFCI device.
When they first started using GFCIs, there was typically one circuit that tied the garage, bathroom(s), and exterior outlets together. If the GFCI is not in a bathroom, it may be in the garage.
As with all things, GFCIs are also prone to failure. Over time, exposure to high moisture, such as hot, steamy showers or high outdoor humidity, may cause a GFCI to not reset after tripping. A GFCI that doesn’t reset will have to be replaced.
You may also have to check the electrical panel.
If you can't locate a tripped GFCI, it's possible that the bathroom breaker in the panel has tripped. Hopefully, during installation, the installer correctly labeled your breakers.
If you find a tripped breaker, you can reset it by flipping the switch to the off position and then back to the on position. If it resets, you should have power back to the bathroom circuit.
In newer homes, there’s a chance there are no GFCI outlets in any of the bathrooms. The GFCI may be part of the breaker itself. In this case, you will see a yellow button next to the switch on the 20-amp bathroom breaker. The yellow button is the test button. If the breaker has tripped, you must reset the breaker as previously described.
During the home inspection, we test and reset all GFCIs and evaluate the electrical panel. Your home inspector will describe the basics of the GFCIs, the types of breakers in your panel, and what they do.
If all else fails, call a professional electrician.
If there’s no power to any of the bathroom outlets, but the panel has power, you’ve checked every outlet, and no breakers have tripped, it’s time to call a professional electrician. When solving the problem and fixing it are outside of your skill set, an electrician can do the required and proper testing, repairs, and replacement of defective outlets and breakers.
At HomePro Inspections, our home inspectors are trained to inspect all areas of the home. Your home inspection report documents any issues found and recommends their resolution by you or a qualified professional.
Visit our website to learn more or to schedule your home inspection in the Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault, MN areas. Contact us today at (507) 202-8942 or by email, and you can use our convenient online “Schedule Now” feature to schedule an appointment.